A widow has spoken of her distress after receiving a council enforcement notice in the name of her partner, despite the fact he died in a bike crash last year.

Sally Mason says she was shocked and upset to receive a letter regarding ‘unauthorised retail use’ addressed to her late partner Peter Lawson who she was with for more than 20 years.

Sally, 49, said: "Peter left this for me in his will. For 14 months after he died I’ve not heard anything and then a few weeks ago I got a letter with an eviction notice giving me eight weeks to get out, basically.

"I was in bits and I didn’t know which way to turn. It was bad enough losing Peter, so losing this place, I think I would have hit rock bottom.

"We built it up together and the business has been going for 20 years."

She added: "They have now apologised and I have accepted their apology. But I’m still worried because there is no guarantee that they will pass the new application."

The notice related to unauthorised retail use at the out of town Willows Lane site, which planning chiefs claim could damage the trade of town centre shops.

It was served last month on the Essentials showroom, in Green Haworth, but has since been withdrawn.

The firm, which employs five full-time staff plus contract workers and was formerly known as Broughtons, has been given until November to submit new proposals. Previous applications in 2007 and 2008 were refused, and an appeal was dismissed.

At Hyndburn Planning Committee, Councillor Collette McCormack made an appeal on behalf of Ms Mason.

She pointed out that the firm had been forced to re-locate three years ago when the former site near the viaduct became unviable, due to the proposed bus station and a lack of disabled access.

Councillor McCormack said: "The only thing I can recommend is that we go and have a look ourselves at this site because this should never have happened, and I just hope that we see what’s right."

Sally said: "Collette has been fantastic. I cannot thank her and (Councillor) Judith Addison enough for stopping the eviction. They’ve been brilliant."

The council has advised that use of the unit as a kitchen, bathroom and bedroom showroom could be considered acceptable provided controls are put in place.